Beckenhorst Press
BP1582, SATB, $2.50
Date released: 2000

Commissioned by the church music conference, Jubilate, in Austin, Texas, this hymn arrangement is a gem. Hayes creates an impression of peaceful worship, beginning with his setting of the lyrical CRUSADER’S HYMN tune in 12/8 with unison SATB voices accompanied by a flowing, arpeggiated piano part. A 4/4 a cappella section follows, full of rich harmonies, that challenges your choir to sing with great musical sensitivity. A soaring soprano descant over the full SATB chorale of the fourth stanza and a polyphonic augmentation of the last phrase, “Now and forevermore be Thine,” bring the piece to a satisfying close. The partwriting is of medium difficulty, but ample unison portions make the piece accessible to most choirs, and this anthem is well worth the rehearsal time…the perfect one to have “waiting in the wings” to be sung again and again! The instrumentation was written by Dan Forrest, and is a wonderful complement to the choral music.